Oil burning apparatus



July 26, A193,2. H. B. DONLEY ET M 1,869,239

v A OIL BURNING APPARATUS Y n Filed Sept. 4. 1928 woe/nto@ n Gj'gilmore v l 7 7 I l a Mu I U i T D STATES PATENT OFFECE.

HAROLD B. DONLEY, AUGUSTUS J. FRAME, AND JACKSEN G. GILMORE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO FRANKLIN OIL HEATING, INCORPORATED, OF COLUMBUS,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO 011. BURNING Arrana'rus rll`his invention relates to improvements in oil burning apparatus and has particular reference to apparatus of the character adapted for the heating of residential properties,

buildings and the like, one of the outstanding objects of the invention being to provide apparatus of this character which is simple in construction and reliable and eliicient in operation.

It is another 'object of the invention to provide an oil burner system consisting of but few and simple mechanical parts and wherein silent operation is secured.

It is another kobject of the invention to provide an oil burner system which may operate to secure pilot combustion by means of the liquid oil used as the fuel for the system. It has been customary heretofore to employ in connection with such oil burning systems, oil as the primary source of fuel and gas as a secondary source of fuel for tbe purpose of supporting combustion of a pilot flame, which remains in a constant state of combustion to provide for the intermittent flow of the main fuel body to the combustion apparatus. In the present invention provision is made whereby the single fuel may be employed to satisfy the requirements of both principal and pilot combustion.

lt is a further object of the invention to regulate the fiow of air to the combustion apparatus in such a manner that clogging of the apparatus with carbon or soot deposits will be prevented for the purpose of securing sustained, efficient and continuous operation.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side ele vation and partly in vertical sec-tion of oil burning apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a top planview of the apparatus set forth in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a vertical'sectional view on a larger scale disclosing more articularly the construction of the combustion pot and the oil and air lines leading thereto,

Figure 4 is a. horizontal sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 of the structure set forth in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the improved oil burning apparatus comprising the present invention in its entirety. The apparatus comprises broadly a combustion vessel or pot 2, the latter being arranged within the combustion chamber 3 of a furnace or other suitable type of heating unit 4. Leading to the pot 2 is an air conduit 5 which has its outer end disposed in communication with a moto-r driven fan or blower 6. Also entering the bottom of the vessel or pot 2 is a liquid oil line or conduit 7, which extends substantially parallel with and within the air line 5, as shown more particularly in Figures 3 and 4. This oil line communicates with a main con trol valve 8, which in this instance is of the magnetically operated type and is disposed within a circuit 9 which includes a source of ener 1() and a thermostatic switch 11. lVhenthe circuit 9 is completed by the switch 11 the valve 8 is elevated or opened to permit of the flow of oil through the oil line 7 to the burner pot 2. Also, the oil line is provided with a float 12 by means of which a pre-determined liquid level is maintained within the vessel or pot 2 when the apparatus is in aotive operation, the float controlling automatically the flow of oil from a source of supply, such as a tank (not shown).

The vessel or pot is provided with an open top and around the outer and upper portion thereof the said vessel includes an annular flange 13 which is received within a sheet metal casing 14 formed to effect the elevated support of said vessel above the base or floor line. The flange 13 is apertured as at 15 so as to permit 0f the passage of air therethrough, the casing 14 being in open communication with'the inner or discharge end of the conduit 5 so that air may flow freely under relatively low pressure from said conduit and through the apertures 15 to commingle with the oil vapors released from the oil body which is normally maintained within the vessel 2.

In this instance the vessel 2 includes a vertical and axially upstanding sleeve 16, in the upper end of which is situated an air distributor 17. This distributor comprises a tubular body provided with a pair of heads 18 and 19. Ihe lower head 19 is formed with aper turcs 2() which direct streams of air into the Vessel 2 for the purpose of effecting a combustible mixture of efficient proportions but to prevent the occurrence of active combustion of the oil within the confines of the vessel or pot. The air released from the apertures provided in the upper head 18 combines with the fuel mixture in a plane above the vessel or pot 2 and likewise so does the air discharged from the apertures 15 of the fiange 13. 'This arrangement provides for the economical and efficient consumption of liquid oil and produces a system which operates effectively under relatively low air pressures and without atomization of the oil.

In this instance the bottom of the vessel or pot 2 is provided with a depending integral enlargement 21 provided with a bore 22 into which is positioned the forward end of the oil line 7, the opposite end of said bore entering, as shown in Figure 3, the bottom of the vessel or pot 2. The enlargement 21 is also provided with a second bore 23 which communicates with the bore 22 by means of the .downwardly and angularly extending port 24, and which communicates with an upwardly and angularly extendingr port 25, the converging ends of the ports 24 at 25 being closed by means of a removable plug 26, the latter permitting of the drilling of the angularly arranged ports. One end of the bore 23 is closed or blind, while the opposite end receives an air conveying pipe 27 which extends substantially parallel with the oil line 7 for a distance and then extends upwardly and at an angle to said oil pipe. The upper end of the pipe 27 which is situated in the air conduit 5, terminates in a substantially inverted U shaped fitting 28, which terminates finally in the interior of the air conduit 5, so that the air may be withdrawn from the conduit 5 and forced under pressure through the pipe 27 and into the oil flowing through the line 7 by way of the ports 24 and 25. The air which passes through the line 27 thus mixes with the oil for the purpose (if producing during the inactive operation of the apparatus an oilpilot flame.

As previously stated, the operation of the apparatus is intermittent, that is, when the temperature of the zone being heated reaches a certain point the thermostatic switch 11 functions to automatically close the magnetic valve 8. This valve when in its closed position permitsof the flow of a relatively small quantit of oil through the line 7, and this reduce quantity of oil then combines with the air, obtained" from the pipe 27, thus producing a combustible mixture suitable for use as a pilot fiame enabling the oil to be used for the pilot fiame rather than gas obtained from another source or origin. It will be it understood that the motor which operates the fan or blower 6 continues to function at full operation regardless of the amount of oil flowing through the oil line. This enables the air flowingr through the line 27 to be maintained constant at all times, which permits the air not only to serve for the purpose of producing a pilot flame mixture but also to remove byv reason of its velocity and mechanical contact any carbon particles which may tend to accumulate in the oil line and obstruct oil fiow. In the present instance the formation of carbon is practically prevented due to the fact that active combustion is maintained at all times. In other words when thesystem is operating at full capacity the mixture of oil and air is so efficient as to prevent the formation of soot or carbon deposit, and this is likewise'true when the pilot flame is employed, since Athe relative amounts of air and oil are such as to secure smokeless combustion. If for any reason free carbon should be present the same is ejected fromv the system by the force of the air flow through the line 27.

We preferably provide a slidable control shutter 29 in the conduit 5 at a point between the air entrance into the fitting 28 and the pot 2. It has been found that this installation requires that various amounts of air shall be delivered by the conduit 5 to the main air outlets of said vessel. Thus a small building requires less air, under uniform conditions, than a large house or building. However, to secure the best operation of the oil pilot apparatusl uniform air pressure should fiow through the line 17 irrespective of the size of the building being heated. It will thus be seen that regardless of the amount of opening in the duct 5 as regulated by shutter 29 the auxiliary air duct 27 will receive its full supply of air from the fan 6.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides simple yet effective oil burning apparatus which may operate economically and at relatively low air pressure. The system avoids specifically the atomizing of oil by means of high pressure apparatus, such as pumps and nozzles. This permits the system to operate not only efficiently but silently, which is a decided advantage in house heating equipment.' Further, the apparatus necessary to carry out the operation is greatly simplified and reduced in cost. This system provides for continuous operation and full efiiciency, permits the employment of an oil pilot flame, rather than the use of a gas pilot lame, and furthermore provides sustained operation by preventing the formation of obstructing carbon deposits in the essential oil passages of the system. y

What is claimed is:

1. In oil burning apparatus, an open topped burner vessel, an oil line leading thereto, a valve in said line operable when open to permit full oil flow through the line and when in closed position to permit a slight oil flow therethrough for a pilot light, an air supply conduit for said vessel, means for constantly maintaining air under pressure in said conduit, and a supplemental air supply line communicating at one end with the interior of said conduit and at its other end with the interior of said oil line and connected at a point immediately below the oil level which is maintained for pilot light operation.

v 2. In oil burning apparatus, an open topped burner vessel, an air supply conduit for said vessel, lmeans for constantly maintaining air under pressure in said conduit,

an oil line entering said vessel, a valve in said line operable when in open position to maintain a quantity of oil distributed over a large area in said vessel for maximum combustion operation, said valve when in a closed position permitting of a sli ht oil feed through the oil line to restrict the quantity of oil to a small area in said vessel for pilot light operation, and a supplemental pipe line for deliverin air from said conduit to the oil for said pi ot light.

3. In oil burning apparatus, an open topped burner vessel, an oil line leading to said vessel, a valve in said line operable in one position to permit maximum flow of oil through said line to maintain the oil within the vessel over the full area thereof and in another position to restrict the flow oi oil through the line to the area comprising the inlet' opening for the oil to effect pilot light combustion within said vessel, a main air conduit leading to said vessel, means for maintaining air under pressure in said conduit for combustion of the main oil suppl and a supplemental air line connected at one end to the main air conduit and its other end at the oil line at a point adjacent the pilot light combustion zone.

4. In oil burning apparatus, a burner yvessel having an oil inlet in the bottom thereof,

' an oil line connected to said inlet, a valve in said oil line and movable from a osition wherein full oil supply to said vesse is, r-

' mitted for the maintenance of a large gliel area therein to a position wherein a restricted oil supplylis delivered to said vessel for maintaining t e oil to the area comprising the oil inlet Jfor pilot light operation a main air conduit for said vessel, means for maintaining air under ressure in said conduit for the combustion o the main oil supply within said vessel, and a supplemental air line leading from said conduit to the oil inlet of said vessel at a point immediately below said inlet opening. l

5. In oil burning apparatus, an open topped burner vessel having an enlargement formed with said bottom thereoil and arranged below the latter, said enlargement being provided with a bore having direct communication with the interior of said vessel and forming an oil pocket therein, a supply line connecting said bore for conducting liquid fuel into the bottom of said vessel, an air supply conduit for said vessel, means for maintaining air under pressure in said conduit, a valve in the oil line operable to maintain the oil over a large area in the vessel during the main operation of said burner and to restrict'the oil area to the size of said inlet or pocket for pilot light operation, and means for supplying air from said air conduit to the oil line at a point adjacent said oil pocket.

In testimony whereof we aix our signatures.

HAROLD B. DONIJEY.

AUGUSTUS J.. FRAME. JACKS-EN Gr. GILMORE. 

